Photo by Vanessa Valadez

Nu-metal outliers Tallah have resurfaced to confirm the September 5th arrival of the follow-up to their 2022 LP, The Game of Danger. Continuing their campaign on Earache Records, Tallah will unleash their third full length studio effort, Primeval: Obsession // Detachment later this year. 

Serving as testament to the band's non-conformist approach and forward-thinking presentation, Tallah once again brave take on new creative terrain with a presentation that underscores their prowess as players and songwriters. 

Teaming with longtime producer and collaborator Josh Schroeder, the album includes several important talking points, the first of which includes the pivotal personnel shift of former drummer Max Portnoy moving to bass for album three. Additionally, the album was recorded live with no click track, no punch-in edits and no post polish - an incredible accomplishment for an album as adventurous as this. 

Further capturing the organic quality of the band at their most ambitious, Primeval: Obsession // Detachment also features a vocal performance from songwriter and frontman Justin Bonitz that was recorded in one, live continuous take - a comprehenisve performance from start to finish documented on record. Bonitz offered some insight as to his motivation and his process, 

 "I practiced for months and was able to record the entire album in one huge, continuous take with no edits or redos or anything! And I was recovering from pneumonia! Nobody is gonna believe me! It was honestly the highlight of my entire vocal career. I was unsure if I could pull it off, but I went into the booth, grabbed an SM57, turned off the lights, and whatever happened happened. I think it feels more intimate and naked with all the flaws and imperfections, which is perfect for the raw, organic sound of this album."

Delivering the first single from the album, the introduction and lead entry offers a strong indication of depth and dynamics of Tallah at their very best. "What we know" is a wild ride even for a band as unorthodox as Tallah. The collision of upright bass, the talkbox, 808s and a classical string accompaniment only hint at what Tallah have in store for their latest iteration. 

Portnoy shared his take on the importance of this first preview. “The first song that was written for the album, and easily my #1 Tallah song to date.The amount of experimentation on this track paved the road for the tone of the whole record. From performing the first half of the song on acoustic guitars, to layering trap-metal 808’s over a string quartet with dissonant plucks in the chorus, to a trading guitar solo with a talkbox and a slide, you can find so many fun tools we incorporated, without it feeling disjointed. To have all that experimentation, in a driving and energetic track with a massive chorus, made for my favorite piece of work yet. It was a no- brainer to start the record with this one.”

For as ambitious as the album is sonically, Tallah has earned a reputation for crafting just as immersive of a narrative to their work. Constructing a cohesive concept album, the overarching storyline line is just as, if not more inventive as the soundtrack. Bonitz explains,

“Primeval Obsession/Detachment is a concept album taking place on an alien planet. The story follows two characters, Ana (a nurse) and Sheelah (an assassin). Both are approached by the same group of beings, who ask the main characters to each perform a task that will test their values and push their morals to the limit before ending with twist after twist. The album explores morality, duty, personal beliefs, duality, and understanding one's place in society.”

The pivotal significance of the album three is something not lost on the band. Portnoy spoke candidly about the decision to set such a high standard for themselves and how that paid off with the most complete version of Tallah yet. 

“For me, this album is Tallah finding our voice. During the writing process, no boxes were in place. No rules were set. Whatever felt uniquely us, that was what made the cut. I'm not sure how to even label this record's sound beyond 'Tallah'. It's weird. It's experimental. It's driving, and energetic. It's raw. We recorded live, every instrument at the same time, with no click. That's how we play shows, so why would we record differently? This album also marks my first recording dedicated to bass. I translated my drum knowledge to a new instrument and it was a huge creative breath of fresh air for me.”

Primeval: Obsession // Detachment, the third album from Tallah arrives September 5th via Earache Records. Pre-order the release - HERE